Should I just get insurance info, driver's license number and a statement?
Or should I just have my wife wait for the police?

 

both I'd say. especially if its over 500 bucks, have her wait. that's my take. helps on insurance and fault if the guy claims otherwise, even though its a rear-ender/no-brainer for the insurance company.

 

Even if he signs a statement explaining what happened?
It's a local road, so there may not be a police around for awhile. (that's all I know...I have no idea where she is until she calls back)
According to her, it's just a bumper scratch.

 

my 2 cents is get the police statement. all too often, at least here in CA, these seemingly minor traffic accidents turn into something major with strange injuries popping up later and drivers later renigging on their statements.

better to be safe rather than sorry.

 

Don't take any chances and get the police out there. This happened to a friend of mine a while ago, and they exchanged numbers and left. The other guy, later, told his insurance company that they exchanged info because my friend hit HIM. My friend wound up having to claim it on his insurance and took a premium hit the next renewal.

 

Get the police out there ... 2 stories ...

I was in an accident a long time ago where another driver cut into my lane causing me go into a ditch to avoid him ... other driver didn't stop so now it just looks like a teenager driving too fast went off the road ... well, the police were able to spot skid marks on the road which backed my story ... they right all that up in the accident report ... accident's not 'my fault' and no insurance rate hike ... Thank goodness for the cops!

My wife was rear-ended by an SUV ... SUV driver agreed that she (the SUV driver) was at fault in the accident ... apologized profusely ... etc. etc. ... so the claim should be against the SUV's insurance and we shouldn't have to pay any deductable right? Wrong ... Allstate (the SUV's insurance company) decides that my wife is at fault and refuses to pay ... and our insurance company tells us that VA is heavily in favor of 'no fault' rulings so they aren't taking Allstate to court ... and we end up making a claim against our insurance and being out the deductable ... I believe that if the police had been on the scene they would have seen exaxctly what had happened and written the accident up as the SUVs fault (possibly even given her a ticket) and we would not have been out the deductable.

Have fun,
Derek

 

I concur, based on my experiences here. Too many folks looking to "work the system"- I've lost some of my trust in my fellow man...

 

cops
for sure
you want the written record

 

Note to the paranoid, always keep a camera in the car even a cheap disposable one for things like this. Video cams are even better, but then again I'm a man of excess.

 

Sometimes police won't come out even if you call them. When I was in traffic school they recommended if you want the police to come out mention that the other driver appears to have been drinking or on drugs.